San Francisco Singer Songwriter Sets Sights on Oahu
San Francisco musician Curt Yagi is flying out for a short Honolulu tour next week, following up a set of successful gigs on Maui last year.
The award-winning singer songwriter and his band "The People Standing Behind Me" are known throughout the Bay Area for "happy acoustic rock with a touch of funk for flavor." For his island trip, the core "Curt Yagi Trio" will play two shows in town and a third in Wahiawa, as well as make a couple of morning TV appearances.
"I'm excited to be coming to Oahu," Yagi tells me. "I do feel a connection to Hawaii as my family is Japanese American and we would go on vacation to Oahu as a kid."
"I have fond memories of playing on the beach, walking around and just enjoying the weather," he adds. "While I haven't gone quite as much in my adulthood, I did manage to have some success with my music in Maui, and I am really looking forward to Oahu and hope to make it a recurring tour."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVSgmmDZLk
Yagi was named the "Best of the Bay" in 2008 by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, which said he has "the swagger of Lenny Kravitz and the lyrical prowess of Jack Johnson." He even earned the praise of no less than iconic former Rolling Stone senior editor Ben Fong-Torres, who described him as "one excellent singer and songwriter."
His style and influences are diverse, with his music most frequently categorized as acoustic rock, reggae and ska, even funk and folk. Before his band's Maui tour, he posted an "island version" of one of his songs to YouTube, "Everything's Alright."
When he's not making music, he serves as the Executive Director of Real Options for City Kids (ROCK), the largest provider of academic and social support for at-risk youth in Visitacion Valley.
And when he's not performing on Oahu, you'll probably find him on the water, or at table.
"I am a surfer and cannot wait to surf during the day and perform at night," Yagi says. "In addition, nothing beats some tuna poke as well as a plate lunch."
As of today, here's the itinerary for the Curt Yagi Trio:
Tuesday, October 27 from 9 p.m. -11 p.m: Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu (280 Beachwalk)
Wednesday, October 28: Live Appearance on Hawaii News Now Sunrise
Thursday, October 29 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: The Brewseum (901 Waimanu Street)
Friday, October 30 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.: Surfer's Coffee Bar (63 Kamehameha Hwy.)
Sunday, November 1: Live Appearance on KITV4 Morning News
To see Yagi in action before he arrives, check out his channel on YouTube. You can also listen to his music on Spotify or buy it on iTunes. To learn more, visit CurtYagi.com.
Photos courtesy Curt Yagi.